WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!
Ladybug, Gossamer's sister, exuberantly pounded the bench with the gavel she held in her broad smile under the direction of Princess Celestia, whose forelegs she was embraced by. She even had some shiny yellow bows this time, and each marked with a trademark of three gems, even her Woona doll was sporting a tiny little dress as well.
"That's quite enough now, dear," Princess Celestia chuckled at the little nymph's enthusiasm, nuzzling her head fondly. Then she raised her head with a more serious expression. "We have to a decision regarding the parties responsible for the failed invasion on Canterlot."
It had been the trial of the century. If not the whole millennium. Not even three hours after Shining Armor and Cadance had left for their honeymoon, an army of changeling appeared at the gates of Canterlot, the very same army that had attacked them earlier. It had been quite shocking when they then fell upon their faces and asked to be arrested. At first they thought it might be a trick, then little Ladybug could be heard crying for her mother.
Maker have mercy on any that got in Celestia's way.
It was quite easy to locate the poor nymph's parents, as changelings were appearing everywhere, turning themselves in. More then a few of them were parents trying to locate their missing children. Which led to quite a sore point.
Canterlot had been captured by an army of pubescent teens. Thank all that is good and holy no one was killed. That would have been tragic.
Now, here they were, all the changelings who had attacked Canterlot, along with their parents and other relatives, members of the press, victims and thousands of spectators all in one place. So many in fact, that they had to move the judgement bench to a nearby stadium to properly conduct the proceedings. It had taken nearly a month but things were fairly sorted now.
Chrysalis, clapped in thick chains, sat directly across from the bench, which held both alicorn sisters, looking dejectedly at the grass between her hooves. It had been a bad time, and enough time to think and ponder on her crimes. The only visitors she had been allowed were her parents, and even then, they only seemed to shout and scream at her. Not that she didn't deserve it. She only prayed it wouldn't go as harshly as her imagination seemed to wander.
"Chrysalis Sweetpumpkin, daughter of Papa Gorgonzola and Mama Mozzarella, you are hereby charged with two counts of kidnapping, multiple accounts of mind rape, espionage, assault and battery, terrorism, unauthorized possession of powerful artifacts under the protection of the crown, slander, disrupting private ceremonies," here she took a deep breathe, "threatening the crown, disturbing the peace, forming a coup d'état, willful destruction of private property, destruction of government property, two accounts attempted regicide, impersonating royalty, defamation of royalty, resisting arrest, and riding your skateboard on the sidewalk. How do you plead?"
Chrysalis sighed, looking up to face her judges. "Guilty on all accounts, your majesties."
Celestia and Luna stared back stoically at the broken mare before them. While she did appear physically healthier, most of the holes in her body filled in due to the love energy her parents gave her, and all of that arrogance had been washed away most harshly, there was still a kind of lifelessness to her. It was quite sad actually.
Luna leaned back in her chair and snorted. "Well then, I suppose that there is no further need to delay it then. Sister?"
Celestia nodded and produced a scroll. "Chrysalis Sweetpumpkin, your crimes are great, and warrant severe punishment. Were you just a few years older you might very well have been the recipient of far less desirable consequences for your actions. Feel fortunate that you had friends and family who cared enough to bring some other issues to light."
Chrysalis couldn't help but look towards the section for her small army. Gossamer, Polly Pill, and a few others shrugged dismissively. Her parents, as well as her brothers, six of the biggest changeling ever seen, smiled and nodded comfortingly. It made her feel a little warm inside. She hadn't really been expecting any help. But it still wasn't enough to bring a smile to her face.
"To begin," Celestia started reading from the scroll when she had Chrysalis's attention again. "Certain noteworthy parties have described your psyche as being extremely paranoid, borderline schizophrenic, going out of your way to be antisocial, and self-loathing to an unhealthy degree."
"To clarify," Luna piped up while examining her own copy, "you are an impetuous, rebellious teen who wants everything to go your way, times four to the second power. Constantly refusing the guidance and comfort of loved ones, while blaming them and everyone else for your troubles. I might also add, that you have absolute zero respect for your peers."
"So, we have decided," Celestia spoke up, lowering her scrolls and glaring at the changeling, "that, in order for you to pay back the damages you have caused, both physical and emotional, you will serve no less than eight years military service, with plenty of psychological counseling until such time as you are deemed a better mare. Henceforth you shall be subject to military regulation and rule, and the punishments thereof. Case Closed. You may proceed, Ladybug."
With a giggle of glee, the little nymph once again pounded the desk without mercy.
WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!
After Chrysalis was led away, the other changeling rebels, save Polly Pill, were brought in front of her. This was actually weighing a little on the two sisters' hearts. They were just children after all.
"Young changelings of Chrysalis's failed invasion," Celestia began. "Your crimes are as follows... terrorism, destruction of private property, destruction of government property, imprisonment of royalty" -she remembered being hung in that pod quite vividly- "assault and battery, conspiracy to a coup d'état, disrupting private ceremonies, and riding various wheeled sports equipment on the sidewalk... seriously? Ugh, how do you plead?"
"Guilty," they all said in unison, ears drooping.
"Indeed you are," Luna said as she glanced at some of the other notes laid out before her. "However, you have earned much leniency with the decision to turn yourselves in and showing true remorse for your unbecoming actions. We commend you for your wise choice of actions, however belated."
Celestia nodded in agreement. "But..."
Everyone waited with baited breath.
"A proper punishment is still in order. In order to pay for the damages you have caused, you are hereby subject to community service under trusted observation after school for a period of two years, along with a routine exercise regime to help burn off some for those hormones that drove you to this bad decision."
Many of the males in the group grinned nervously. Girls had been a part of why they joined.
"Due to the goodness of our hearts, we have decided to make exceptions for holidays, birthdays, and special family events," Luna put in.
"Case closed," Celestia sighed. Ladybug didn't need to be told this time, as she promptly set about banging the bench.
WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!
After the army was led away, Polly Pill was brought before the bench, a pouch full of ready inhalers on one side, and a pouch of empty ones on the other. He was not doing too well.
"Polly Pill," Celestia began, "son of Marble Shooter and Dice Roller, your crime is as follows. Leaving home for an exorbitant amount of time, during which your worried parents alerted the authorities, resulting in large-scale search for an badly asthmatic child believed to be kidnapped. A lot of time and taxpayer money was spent searching for you. Care to tell the court where you were during that time?"
Polly cringed as he spoke the words. "I was at the Canterlot Comic Con, buying things and having fun."
Luna smiled, bemused. "Was it fun?"
Polly nodded. "Up until my friends started breaking things and that shield knocked me for a loop."
"At no time did you feel it necessary to warn the proper authorities of the impending invasion?"
"I didn't think my friends were really that stupid to go through with it," Polly said with a heavy sigh.
Laughter erupted around the stadium.
WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!
"Order, order in the court."
The laughter redoubled. Causing poor Ladybug to pout something awful. Her squeaky voice just didn't carry the same authority as the princesses. But she smiled when both Celestia and Luna nuzzled her, causing the laughter to die down into a chorus of d'aaahs.
"With that out of the way," Celestia chuckled, "we find you not guilty of any of the crimes your friends committed. But, for the worry you caused your family and local law enforcement, you will be expected to write multiple apology letters, as well as forfeiting one pearlescent... shiny mudkick... to the crown. What?"
"Indeed," Luna said with a smirk. "I was most aggrieved to find the vender had sold it before I had arrived. Now my collection shall be complete."
Celestia gave her sister a look. "So that's where you were. I thought you said you were sleeping."
Luna ignored her. "You may leave, now, young Polly. This case is dismissed."
WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!
Chrysalis had been led away through a series of hallways beneath the stands, until she arrived at a detention room. There she was unshackled and left alone while the guards stayed outside the door. She let a deflated sigh and slumped forward on the table.
This was it. The beginning of a new stage in her life. One that she really hadn't seen coming. She could see it now, Private Chrysalis Sweetpumpkin PLO(permanent latrine orderly), if she was lucky. Or, perhaps, she might be able to work her way up to septic tank scooper with a enough hard work. But, she knew, that no matter what she did, the indescribable shameful act of treason she had committed, would never be forgotten.
She listened to the hands of the clock tick by as she waited for... whoever it was that would take her to her new home. If she could call it that. The barracks, maybe?
She didn't have to wait long, as the door entered and two very happy-looking, familiar ponies walked.
Her mouth went dry and she involuntarily jumped backwards, smacking spread-eagle against the wall, gaping in horror. This was much worse than she had expected.
"Why, hello, Chrysalis Sweetpumpkin," Shining Armor greeted her with a suspiciously pleasant smile. "It would seem you recognize us."
Cadance chuckled sweetly leaned against her husband's side, idly flicking his mane with a wing. "That's wonderful, because... we sure as paint remember you."
Both the prince and the princess stepped up on either side of the terrified changeling, and put a firm leg about her neck. They leaned in close.
"Remember the good times we had?" Cadance asked.
"Like when you threw my love in a cave, and left her to starve to death," Shining said, never losing his smile.
"Or when you raped my dearest knight's mind."
"Or, here's another one, the time you made me turn on my own sister."
"Oh, yes, that sweet, wonderful little filly whom I used to babysit on a regular basis."
Needless to say, Chrysalis was scared witless. But, as is common with the stupid, she decided to open her big mouth in an attempt to lift the mood. "So, eight years in your service, huh?"
Deep scowls formed above those unmoving smiles, and the legs about her neck tightened. Her jaw promptly snapped shut and she attempted to curl up into a ball.
"Oh, Cadet Chrissy," Cadance spoke in a silky voice that dripped with malice, "it won't really be eight years."
That did nothing to alleviate her terror. But then, she supposed, it wasn't meant to.
Shining put a hoof under her chin and forced her to face him, looking straight into her eyes. She could almost swear there were fires lit behind them. And when he opened his mouth to speak... were those the shrieks of the damned in the background?
"After all," he began, grasping something in his magic, "before you can even begin serving your term, you have to go through bootcamp."
Princess Celestia and Luna stopped in a secluded hallway to have a private conversation with Chrysalis's parents. Mama Mozzarella had a concerned expression on her face, while the giant earth pony, Papa Gorgonzola, remained neutral. Luna, on the other hoof, was a little busy admiring her reflection in her newly acquired Poke'mane card.
"Now, I understand you have some concerns," Celestia said, speaking kindly.
Mama fiddled with the pendant about her neck, something that all changeling were going to have to wear in order to identify themselves for the time being. It was just a temporary thing, until everything quieted down.
"Well, you see," she began, swallowing hard. A heavy hoof laid gently on her withers helped calm her, and she leaned into the earth pony's side. "We know that our daughter did some horrible things, and that she deserves the punishment you gave her. but..."
"But that's still our baby girl," Papa finished for her.
Celestia lowered her head and nodded. "I am aware, and you have my sincere apologies. Your race was exposed to the world in the most unreasonable fashion possible. I wish it had been under better circumstances."
"We all do," Mama sighed, looking down. "Chrysalis... I'm not going to lie. She's always been a sort of bad egg. But, we, never for a moment, imagined that she would do such a thing. I suppose it's kind of our fault as well."
"Oh?" Celestia tilted her head to the side.
Papa and Mama nodded. "We allowed her brothers to spoil her to no end. They were so thrilled when they found out they had a little sister that they..."
"They took it upon themselves to see to her every need and desire," Papa put in, patting his wife's back. "We did warn them that doting upon her in such a lavish fashion wouldn't end well, but..."
"But they just couldn't seem to help themselves," Celestia said with a chuckle. "What?" she asked, noticing the odd looks they gave her, "you didn't think Luna and I had siblings, did you?"
Luna suddenly stopped looking at her treasure and lifted her head, a faraway look in her eye. "Had, being the keyword." She let her sister wrap a wing about her in a strong embrace. "I still miss them sister. Our mother and father, grandmamma, and Aunty Shrew."
"I know, Luna, I know," Celestia said, nuzzling her neck comfortingly. She turned back to the couple. "We were the youngest in a rather large family of earth ponies, the only two fillies." She sighed with a hint of mirth. "All good brothers love their little sisters, and ours were no different."
Luna managed a chuckle. "Though, they were, perhaps, a little eccentric."
"You still remember them?" Mama asked, curious. The two sisters nodded.
"We also know the joys and trials of motherhood," Luna said, closing her eyes and taking a deep sniff.
"I am sorry, I had no idea," mama said, bowing her head as if she had done something wrong.
"It is alright," Celestia said, with a kind smile, tipping her chin up with the tip of her free wing. "There are seldom any who look so far back in the history books. But, this is not about us, this is about your daughter. Please, voice your concerns."
Mama took comfort in Celestia's words and nodded. "Well, as Papa here said, she is our baby girl, and we know she deserves her punishment, but we're still concerned for her well being. Will she be alright?"
Celestia chuckled. "You shouldn't worry, Captain... er, Prince Shining Armor is quite the level-headed stallion, who has had to deal with many unruly and diminutive problems."
"I suppose we are more fortunate in this age," Mama said. "Unlike in those ancient times when you could be executed for stealing a loaf of bread."
Luna suddenly coughed and looked at her as if she had just grown a third head. The second imaginary one was irrelevant. "Say what now? When hast there ever been such a barbaric institution?"
Celestia groaned and looked at the ceiling. "Perhaps more lessons into ancient history should be mandated."
"Tia," Luna spoke up, "where do ponies get such vile ideas? Since when did we even concept executing children?"
"A series of historical fictions that were written many years ago, Lulu," Celestia explained, rubbing her temples as though soothing a headache. "Some immature stallion who wanted to stand out from the rest of the crowd decided that our history wasn't dark enough and promptly set about creating a story about how Equestria used to be a place darker than Sombra's toy chest. It... caught on."
"The taste of the modern pony is slightly disturbing," Luna muttered, a miffed look on her face. "What kind of pony would wish to read such rot?"
"Too many. The stallion did his research quite well, managing to twist the words of history to his liking, so much so that even some college professors today use it as if it were gospel. Thinking he somehow knew the truth of ye olden times."
"Slander," Luna cried, stomping a hoof. "Pray tell, does this stallion yet live?"
"It was over five hundred years ago, Lulu," Celestia explained. This did nothing to ease Luna's mood.
"No wonder the ponies find us so unapproachable," Luna hissed between her teeth.
This caught Papa and Mama's interests. "Then, what kind of punishments did you have? If we may be so bold."
"A myriad of them, to be sure," Luna said, managing a chuckle. "And quite creative at that. Which is disappointing, since I have yet to see somepony being forced to make polka dot paint."
"What?" Mama asked.
"How does that work?" Papa inquired, leaning forward, intrigued.
"It doesn't," Luna said, flashing them a grin. "It was a psychological punishment, where we told perpetrators of certain petty crimes that all their debt and illicit actions would be forgiven if they managed to paint an entire room with red and green polka dot paint. Which they had to make themselves."
Celestia managed a small laugh at the memory. "Oh, they would try for days. We would simply say, 'paint this room, or be punished'. Never had to name a punishment, always just left it vague."
"Open to interpretation, as it were," Luna snorted at some other memories. "We usually stopped them when they began drawing transmutation circles and bringing in rather... exotic materials with which to attempt creating the elusive mixture. Never had a repeat offender."
"It fell out of fashion after one overly-clever thief questioned us on why we wanted any room in our palace painted in such an atrocious scheme," Celestia shook head and smiled with a sigh. "She went on to work for our espionage department. Good ol' Sticky Mittens."
"But, there was the one punishment we regret instituting even to this day," Luna said, suddenly becoming somber. Celestia followed suit and cringed. "It was a horrifying mistake, but it seemed so reasonable at the time."
Mama took a step forward. "That bad?"
"Indeed," Celestia sighed, lowering her head in shame. "Not even King Sombra or Discord would speak of it. It was far too cruel. Fortunately, it only lasted half a year."
Luna shuddered. "The Squeaky Shoes of Shame. May they never return."
Mama and Papa suddenly found themselves choking back something between a gasp of horror and a laugh. It just sounded too ridiculous to be real. They had to be trolling them.
"Are you serious?" Papa asked, cocking his eyebrows dubiously. Both sisters nodded gravely.
"In fact, tis the only medieval torture device you'll not find in an adult toy store."
Celestia snapped her head around and gaped at her sister. "Lulu! What were doing looking through such a place. We are supposed to be setting an example."
"Calm yourself, sister," Luna snapped back, "we were only browsing. We are in no illegitimate relationship. I was curious, and... well, it has been seventeen hundred years since our last time, sister. Since Blue Yonder..."
Luna didn't finish, but the message was clear. Celestia sighed. "I know, Luna. But be patient. We'll each find love again some day."
Luna nodded hopefully and then turned her eyes on Mama and Papa. "Well, this went off on a jaunt. But, to be sure, your daughter, as long as she follows the rules and regulations, will be just fine."
Suddenly, the hall was filled with an ear-piercing shriek of terror, followed by and ominous squeaking. Both sisters suddenly turned pale.
"N-no," Celestia stuttered, horrified. "How could they?"
Luna gulped and stood up shakily. "Perhaps we'd best go elsewhere for the time being."
As the two sisters beat a hasty retreat, the parents sat on their duffs, looking down the hall, contemplating a course of action. They decided it to be wiser to follow suit with the sisters.
It would be years before Chrysalis could so much as look at a rubber duck without crying for her mother.